News Analysis India

Tag: Halle Berry

  • There’s way less tolerance for disrespectful behaviour on sets, says Hugh Jackman

    By PTI

    LONDON: Australian star Hugh Jackman was relatively unknown when he was offered the chance to play Wolverine in the first “X-Men” in Hollywood and the actor says there is a lot to be proud about these movies despite the allegations surrounding its director and producer Bryan Singer’s misbehaviour.

    The singer has been accused of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.

    Actors like Halle Berry and Jennifer Lawrence, who starred in the movies, have spoken about how difficult it was to work with the director on the franchise, consisting of 13 films.

    In an interview with The Guardian, the actor, who is currently promoting his latest film “The Son”, was asked whether the allegations had tainted the way he looked back at these movies.

    “You know, that’s a really, really complicated question.”

    “There’s a lot of things at stake there. ‘X-Men’ was the turning point, I believe, in terms of comic-book movies and I think there’s a lot to be proud of. And there are certainly questions to be asked and I think they should be asked. But I guess I don’t know how to elegantly answer that. I think it’s complex and ultimately I look back with pride at what we’ve achieved and what momentum that started,” Jackman said.

    Asked whether his experience was similar to what others faced at the time, the actor said he was relatively new to Hollywood but things have changed for the better in recent years.

    “This was my first movie in America, you gotta understand; it was all so new to me. I think it’s fair to say that… There are some stories, you know… I think there are some ways of being on set that would not happen now. And I think that things have changed for the better.

    “There’s way less tolerance for disrespectful, marginalising, bullying, any oppressive behaviour. There’s zero tolerance for it now and people will speak out, and I think that’s great,” he added.

    Jackman, 54, had decided to retire as Wolverine after 2017 classic hit “Logan”, where his character was killed off.

    But earlier this year, he announced that he would be returning to the role in “Deadpool 3”, starring his close friend Ryan Reynolds.

    Reynolds was quite persistent in convincing Jackman to revive the character.

    The Hollywood star said he was “OK” with letting go of his career-defining role.

    “I wasn’t tortured by it. When people would ask me (to reprise the role) including Ryan, every five seconds, I was like: I’m done.”

    The actor said he decided to reprise his role as he knew he would have fun doing a Deadpool movie.

    “I just wanted to do it and I felt it in my gut. Plus, I get to punch the s*** out of Ryan Reynolds every day,” he added.

    LONDON: Australian star Hugh Jackman was relatively unknown when he was offered the chance to play Wolverine in the first “X-Men” in Hollywood and the actor says there is a lot to be proud about these movies despite the allegations surrounding its director and producer Bryan Singer’s misbehaviour.

    The singer has been accused of sexual misconduct, which he has denied.

    Actors like Halle Berry and Jennifer Lawrence, who starred in the movies, have spoken about how difficult it was to work with the director on the franchise, consisting of 13 films.

    In an interview with The Guardian, the actor, who is currently promoting his latest film “The Son”, was asked whether the allegations had tainted the way he looked back at these movies.

    “You know, that’s a really, really complicated question.”

    “There’s a lot of things at stake there. ‘X-Men’ was the turning point, I believe, in terms of comic-book movies and I think there’s a lot to be proud of. And there are certainly questions to be asked and I think they should be asked. But I guess I don’t know how to elegantly answer that. I think it’s complex and ultimately I look back with pride at what we’ve achieved and what momentum that started,” Jackman said.

    Asked whether his experience was similar to what others faced at the time, the actor said he was relatively new to Hollywood but things have changed for the better in recent years.

    “This was my first movie in America, you gotta understand; it was all so new to me. I think it’s fair to say that… There are some stories, you know… I think there are some ways of being on set that would not happen now. And I think that things have changed for the better.

    “There’s way less tolerance for disrespectful, marginalising, bullying, any oppressive behaviour. There’s zero tolerance for it now and people will speak out, and I think that’s great,” he added.

    Jackman, 54, had decided to retire as Wolverine after 2017 classic hit “Logan”, where his character was killed off.

    But earlier this year, he announced that he would be returning to the role in “Deadpool 3”, starring his close friend Ryan Reynolds.

    Reynolds was quite persistent in convincing Jackman to revive the character.

    The Hollywood star said he was “OK” with letting go of his career-defining role.

    “I wasn’t tortured by it. When people would ask me (to reprise the role) including Ryan, every five seconds, I was like: I’m done.”

    The actor said he decided to reprise his role as he knew he would have fun doing a Deadpool movie.

    “I just wanted to do it and I felt it in my gut. Plus, I get to punch the s*** out of Ryan Reynolds every day,” he added.

  • Halle Berry on Moonfall : NASA was supportive throughout

    By Express News Service

    Actors Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson-starrer ‘Moonfall’, a science fiction film co-written, directed and produced by Roland Emmerich, revolves around a mysterious force that knocks the Moon from its orbit and hurls it on a collision course with Earth.

    With only a couple of weeks before the massive impact and the world on the brink of annihilation, NASA executive and former astronaut Jocinda Fowler (Halle Berry) has an idea that can save the planet. But only a man from her past, Brian Harper (Patrick Wilson) and lovable conspiracy theorist KC Houseman (John Bradley), believed her. So, these unlikely heroes mount an impossible final mission into space, leaving their loved ones behind, perhaps forever, and discover an incredible secret about Earth’s only natural satellite.

    Halle BerryHarald Kloser, co-writer and co-producer, while talking about working with the team of NASA, said, “The folks working at NASA have just been fantastic. They understood exactly what kind of movie we were making and wanted to be a part of this epicness and understood the spirit of this mission.”

    Roland Emmerich, director, co-writer and co-producer, while talking about his experience, said, “While shooting for the film, NASA supported us throughout, and as we have had a lot of space scenes, we had an astronaut on the set to help us out. We had a couple of questions and wanted to do things as correctly as possible. It is imperative that you at least go by the rules. We had NASA at the center of the whole film, which was very helpful for us.”

    While talking about her experience of shooting at NASA, Halle Berry, portraying the character of Jocinda Fowler, said, “Just walking into the NASA set was pretty impressive.” While talking about the film, John Bradley, who portrays the character of KC Houseman, said, “The elements of the movie have to be real because you are creating a real-world that is in danger of being destroyed.” Moonfall will premiere on July 1, 2022, on Lionsgate Play.

  • Sharon Stone boards DC film ‘Blue Beetle’

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Sharon Stone is returning to the DC universe in a new role for the upcoming superhero film “Blue Beetle”.

    Starring “Cobra Kai” actor Xolo Mariduena in the title role, the movie hails from filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto and writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stone will play the antagonist Victoria Kord, a character especially created for the upcoming film.

    In the DC universe, the 64-year-old actor previously played a role in the poorly received 2004 Halle Berry film, “Catwoman”.

    Also joining the cast of “Blue Beetle” is Raoul Max Trujillo of “Mayans M. C.” fame.

    He will play Carapax the Indestructible Man in the film.

    In the comics, the character is Conrad Carapax, an archeologist whose mind melds with the body of a robot.

    Belissa Escobedo, Harvey Guille, and Bruna Marquezine also round out the cast of the movie.

    “Blue Beetle” will see Mariduena play teenager Jaime Reyes, who gains superpowers when he encounters alien armour.

    It marks DC’s first film to star a Latino hero, with Warner Bros planning for an August 18, 2023 release.

    Meanwhile, Stone is slated for a role in the upcoming second season of HBO Max series “The Flight Attendant”, set to premiere on April 21.

  • Halle Berry, Netflix sign multi-film deal

    By Express News Service

    Halle Berry, who recently made her directorial debut with the Netflix film Bruised, has signed a multi-picture deal with the streaming giant.

    “My directorial debut, Bruised, was a labour of love and I knew that Scott and Ted would treat it with great care,” Berry said of Netflix film head Scott Stuber and co-CEO Ted Sarandos. She wrote, “The Netflix team has not only been collaborative and creative, but extremely passionate and a delight to work with. I am beyond grateful for the partnership and look forward to telling more stories together.”

    In the project, Berry plays an MMA fighter who reclaims her power in both the ring and in her life. Talking about their collaboration, Stuber said, “We’re thrilled to be in her corner as she delivers power in front of and behind the camera in Bruised and look forward to telling more stories together.”

    Apart from Bruised, Berry is set to produce and star in two Netflix originals, including Matt Chaman’s sci-fi project, The Mothership.

  • Halle Berry says her struggles are overlooked

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry has debunked the notion that she has had an easy life, suggesting people are quick to judge her on the basis of her good looks.

    Berry told the New York Times newspaper: “This is another battle I fought my whole life. That because I look a certain way that I’ve been spared any hardship. I’ve had loss and pain and a lot of hurt in my life. I’ve had abuse in my life.”

    “I get really frustrated when people think because I look a certain way that I haven’t had any of those real-life experiences because I absolutely have,” she added.

    Berry won Best Actress at the 2002 Oscars for ‘Monster’s Ball’.

    However, Berry didn’t receive the job opportunities she expected even after being feted with the award, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

    She earlier shared: “It was surprising, because I thought they were going to just back up the truck and drop them off at my house, right?”

    “When you have a historic win like that, you think, ‘Oh, this is going to fundamentally change.’ It did fundamentally change me, but it didn’t change my place in the business overnight. I still had to go back to work. I still had to try to fight to make a way out of no way.”

    Berry has also felt an economic pressure to take on certain roles at one stage in her career.

  • Halle Berry was terrified about directing debut ‘Bruised’

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: ‘Bruised’ filmmaker and actress Halle Berry was “scared” as she stepped behind the camera for the first time as director.

    The 55-year-old actress is at the helm of the upcoming Netflix movie, in which she also stars as mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Jackie Jackie Justice, who is chasing one last comeback, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

    Berry told the Daily Express newspaper: “As an actor I always show up and do my part, and I can only do what I can do. Being the director, I have a part in the totality of every department. I get to have a voice. That was different, and I really loved that.

    “(I was scared s***less). Any director will tell you that they’re scared, going in. Fear and worry are healthy — it means you want to do your best.”

    The actress, who suffered two broken ribs during the filming, wasn’t actually initially set to either act in or direct the movie.

    Actress Blake Lively originally got offered the role, but dropped out six months later and Berry told producers: “I can’t let it go. I’ve been thinking of how I can reimagine it for someone like me, a black woman in middle age — not starting life — who’s looking for a last chance.”

    Studio officials agreed, but there was another big decision to be made as she helped them in a fruitless search for directors with none sharing her vision.

    She told producers: “This is going to sound really crazy, because it’s crazy for me to even think it, but I think I should direct this.”

    They agreed, and while she wants to direct again, Berry is glad she’s finally seeing roles available for older actresses.

    Berry added: “It used to be when you were 40 your career was done. Or you had to wait until you were old enough to play a grandma. I couldn’t think that I’d be playing an MMA fighter at 55, yet I did, so it’s got to be changing. I’m proof of that.”

  • Release date of Halle Berry’s directorial debut ‘Bruised’ out 

    By Express News Service

    Bruised, which marks the directorial debut of Oscar-winning actor Halle Berry, is headed to Netflix. The film is a sports drama set in the world of Mixed Martial Arts and also stars Berry as a fighter who has to face a rising star in the field, while also dealing with the return of her six-year-old son. The film will hit the streaming platform on November 24.

    An elated Berry took to Twitter to announce the release date. “After 3 years in the making, I am thrilled to finally announce Bruised is coming to Netflix globally on November 24,” she wrote while sharing a working still from the film’s set. She added, “This project is so special to me, not only because it’s my directorial debut, but because the fight game, especially MMA, is a sport that I absolutely love and a genre that has always been winning. Everyone loves to root for the underdog, as we’ve all been there. Thank you UFC and Invicta FC for all of your support.”

    In addition to Berry, the cast also includes Shamier Anderson, Adan Canto, Sheila Atim, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Valentina Shevchenko. Berry was last seen in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and she has Moonfall and the sci-fi film, The Mothership in her upcoming slate of releases. 

  • Brad Pitt, Bong Joon Ho, Halle Berry and more part of ensemble cast of presenters at Oscars 2021

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood stars Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Harrison Ford, Reese Witherspoon and last year’s history maker, “Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho, will be presenting at the 93rd Academy Awards.

    Show producers Jesse Collins, Stacey Sher and Steven Soderbergh unveiled the “stellar” cast of stars to present at the upcoming ceremony in a press release shared on the official Oscars website.

    Marvel star Don Cheadle, veteran actor Bryan Cranston, Laura Dern, Regina King, Marlee Matlin, Rita Moreno, last year’s best actor winner, “Joker” star, Joaquin Phoenix, Renee Zellweger and Zendaya are also part of the first batch of presenters announced by the producers.

    “In keeping with our awards-show-as-a-movie approach, we’ve assembled a truly stellar cast of stars.

    There’s so much wattage here, sunglasses may be required,” Collins, Sher and Soderbergh said in a joint statement.

    Additional presenter announcements are expected in the coming days The Oscars 2021 will be held on Sunday, April 25, 2021, at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood.

    In the US, the ceremony will be televised live on ABC.

    The awards night will also be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

  • Halle Berry reacts to ‘disgusting’ radio host’s comments comparing her skin tone to toast

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: American actor Halle Berry spoke out after a Buffalo, New York, radio host compared Black female celebrities’ varying skin tones to toast.

    According to E! News, ‘Morning Bull’ host Rob Lederman was terminated from the ’97 Rock’ show this week after he talked about whether or not he finds certain Black women “attractive” during a segment.

    “See we have ours- and I may get into trouble for this – I have them to the attractiveness of women that I find to be attractive,” he said on air on Wednesday.

    “So I won’t ever go to a Serena Williams level… But I’m very comfortable at a Halle Berry level. I need a little bit of mulatto still actually coming through, it can’t be.”

    A co-host asked, “Is Gayle King, that’s not your realm?” To which Lederman reacted, “No, Gayle King isn’t even on my toaster oven level.”

    On Friday, Berry slammed the remarks as ‘disgusting’.

    The Oscar winner actor wrote on Twitter, “It’s ridiculous this type of nonsense is still being broadcasted across airwaves. ALL Black women are beautiful and worthy, Rob Lederman. GTFOH.”

    Lederman issued an apology about four hours later. “I want to sincerely apologize for hurting people with my foolish and ignorant comments yesterday,” he wrote in a statement posted to his new Twitter account.

    “After listening to what I said, and how it must have sounded to others, I was horrified. I 100% understand why people are justifiably angry. I made a mistake and it’s hard to look myself in the mirror, but I want to acknowledge it. I apologise from the deepest depths of who I am,” he added.

    He said he reached out to the local NAACP group, among other community leaders, to seek guidance and teaching as he wants to “increase my sensitivity and understanding.”

    The radio personality added, “If it’s not too much trouble, realize my remarks were ignorant, yet not intended to be harmful… This is a great opportunity to get communication started so that this mistake can heal – and not divide.”

    As revealed by E! News, WKBW Buffalo (channel) detailed that he was fired on Wednesday, while his co-has Chris Klein and Rich ‘Bull’ Gaenzler were suspended.

    Berry tweeted the brief snippet from the show after it was shared on Twitter by ESPN reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques. Fans reacted to her, with one saying, “I hate everything about this. Why would they feel so comfortable about talking about the type of black women they like. When people don’t get colourism they should listen to this.”

    Another wrote, “Can they really be this ignorant and dumb or are they just flat out racist. Either way is awful.”

  • Halle Berry joins Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s ‘Our Man from New Jersey’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Actor Halle Berry will star alongside Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s upcoming spy movie “Our Man from New Jersey”.

    The movie, which has a script from screenwriter David Guggenheim, is being touted as “a blue collar James Bond”, reported Variety.

    Wahlberg will also produce the movie with Stephen Levinson, who came up with the story idea.

    Berry is no stranger to spy movies, having previously played Jinx in the James Bond movie “Die Another Day” opposite Pierce Brosnan.

    Her other film credits include movie franchises such as “X-Men” series and “John Wick”, headlined by Keanu Reeves.

    The actor will be making her directorial debut with “Bruised”, which was recently acquired by Netflix.

    Berry will also feature in the streamer’s sci-fi movie “The Mothership”.